Please Note: We're in the middle of our cross-country move to New York. We are still accepting orders during the move, but as parts of the inventory are in transit shipping on some material may be delayed until December 22. If you have a question about when a particular item might ship, please feel free to contact us. Thanks, DL.

Poster for a Performances By Sir Lady Java at Joe's Nairobi Lounge

Original poster for performances by Sir Lady Java, here billed as the "World's Loveliest Female Impersonator" at the San Jose club Joe's Nairobi Lounge in 1970, with Shirley Butler opening. Sir Lady Java was an African-American performer who became the first transgender person to be defended by the ACLU, after a police crackdown on night clubs in Los Angeles under Rule 9, which forbade "impersonating" another sex in performance. Protests ensued, which were documented in Jet Magazine at the time. The law would finally be struck down two years later in a different case. This performance dates from the following year. Rare ephemera from a pioneer and very important individual in the struggle for transgender rights.

Very good with toning to margins and a short 1/4" nick to right margin. Item #25784